“Beyond the Gates” is true to the daytime soap formula. There’s jaw-dropping drama, over-the-top antics, forbidden romances, intricate plots, vile villains and more. And this only sums up the first week of episodes, which kicked off on Monday at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on CBS. (The show is also available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.)

Soap operas, or melodramas with massive ensemble casts, have been a staple in popular culture for nearly a century. Though long-running soaps like “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “General Hospital” have dominated day-time television for decades,

"You have not seen this many Black people in the middle of the day” on television, "Beyond the Gates" creator Michele Val Jean said.